Golfers have been golfing since the end of July, while girls tennis players have been playing since Aug. 7, and soccer opened its season statewide with Futbol Friday Night Aug. 14.

Volleyball gets underway this week starting Aug. 17, and the first regular season Friday night football games will be Aug. 21. Cross country starts running officially during the week of Aug. 24.

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To recognize what’s started, here are the first polls of the 2026-27 sports calendar. Fans are asked to pick their favorite boys and girls nominees for the Marion Star’s athlete of the week polls.

The polls will be found at MarionStar.com and its app in this story. Readers may vote as often as allowed until the polls close at 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24.

Here are the nominees and polls:

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Inaugural Marion Star athlete of the week polls for 2026-27, vote now

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Marion Star Boys Athlete of the Week for Aug. 17

River Valley golfer Asher Gates was the medalist with an even-par 72 at the Weiss Invitational in Ashland.

North Union golfer Ethan Monroe shot a 78 at Colonial Golfers Club in a tournament with Allen East.

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Pleasant soccer player Rodric Gomez scored two goals and had two assists in a win over Clyde.

High school football scoedules: Who’s playing who in 2026 and when? Area HS football schedules in full

Marion Harding coach Trent Ramsey: Ramsey shares a love for teaching as this week’s Aces of Trade

Marion Star Girls Athlete of the Week for Aug. 17

River Valley soccer player Sarina Strother scored a pair of goals in a win over Marion Harding.

Marion Harding tennis player Kaelyn Bonsel started her season at 3-0 in third singles.

North Union golfer Delaney Workman shot a 49 in a win over Graham.

rmccurdy@usatodayco.com

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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Inaugural Marion Star athlete of the week polls for 2026-27, vote now

NFL defensive back Sam Webb appeared to hang up his cleats after playing one preseason game with the New York Giants this season.

The Giants placed Webb on the Reserve/Retired List on Sunday, one day after New York lost to the Minnesota Vikings. The Giants signed Webb on Thursday, and he only had one practice with the team going into the preseason affair.

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Cleveland Browns cornerback Sam Webb returns a fumble for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Webb, 28, was a standout at Missouri Western State before he turned pro. He joined the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, playing in 17 games for them and recording 36 tackles with three pass break-ups. He had a stint with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 before re-joining the Raiders in 2024.

In his second stint in Las Vegas, Webb played in 11 games and had one tackle. He found himself with the Cleveland Browns in 2025. He played in seven games, had eight tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

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Cleveland Browns defensive back Sam Webb returns a fumble recovery during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Jan. 4, 2026. (Getty Images)

Webb played 14 snaps in the Giants’ preseason game against the Vikings. But it appeared it was more than enough for him. He had joined the Giants five days after being released by the Denver Broncos.

The Giants are hoping their secondary can turn around after a middle-of-the-road season in 2025. New York was 16th in pass defense with about 214 passing yards allowed per game.

San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo is tackled by Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Sam Webb on a kickoff return in the first half at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev., on Aug. 23, 2024. (USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect)

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The team signed Greg Newsome II to help with that.

India’s spinners tightened their grip on the first Test against Sri Lanka as Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja combined for seven wickets to bowl the hosts out for 284 on a rain-hit third day in Galle on Monday. Sri Lanka’s resistance, led by a maiden international hundred from Sonal Dinusha and a composed 80 from Niroshan Dickwella, prevented India from forcing an even bigger advantage, but the visitors still secured a substantial 178-run first-innings lead.

India had appeared on course for a much shorter innings when Sri Lanka slipped to 99/5 by lunch. Suthar spearheaded the early assault with flight, dip and turn, while the Indian attack maintained relentless pressure on a pitch that continued to offer enough assistance to the spinners.

But Dinusha and Dickwella changed the complexion of the innings with a superb sixth-wicket partnership. The pair added 146 runs from 216 balls, frustrating India through a combination of patience, disciplined shot selection and effective use of the sweep.

Dinusha, Dickwella delay Sri Lanka collapse

Unlike several of Sri Lanka’s top-order batters, Dinusha and Dickwella refused to attack deliveries away from their bodies and were willing to wait for scoring opportunities. Both used the sweep effectively against the Indian spinners, repeatedly finding runs from around the stumps.

Dickwella brought up his half-century from 67 balls, while Dinusha took 92 deliveries to reach the milestone. Their partnership extended into the second session, with Sri Lanka adding 116 runs without losing a wicket.

India eventually broke through early in the final session. Dickwella, who had been dropped on 20 by KL Rahul at slip off Suthar, edged Prasidh Krishna through to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant after reaching 80 off 115 balls.

Dinusha continued to frustrate the visitors, completing his maiden international century from 167 balls. His resistance, however, lasted only one more delivery. Jadeja trapped him leg before wicket, ending a remarkable 100-run innings off 168 balls.

The partnership had showcased a vastly different approach from Sri Lanka’s top order, whose aggressive strokeplay often saw them driving away from their bodies and finding Indian fielders.

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Suthar leads spin assault

India’s bowlers had made the breakthrough almost immediately after their first innings ended at 462. Sri Lanka needed a strong opening partnership but instead lost Nishan Fernando to Siraj with only the second ball of the innings.

Suthar then made an immediate impact with his first delivery, finding a faint edge from Dinesh Chandimal that nestled safely in Pant’s gloves. The young left-arm spinner continued to trouble the batters with impressive control, consistently bowling above 85 kmph while extracting turn and dip.

Lahiru Udara and Kamindu Mendis briefly threatened to stabilise the innings, with both finding boundaries and Mendis pulling Prasidh for a six. But Suthar eventually removed Udara, who mistimed a swish to gully.

Mendis then fell to Kuldeep Yadav after an uppish push was brilliantly held by a diving Shubman Gill. Jadeja joined the wicket-takers by dismissing Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva for 21, feathering an edge through to Rahul at slip.

Suthar finished with 4/76, while Jadeja claimed 3/57, underlining India’s dominance with spin. Sri Lanka’s late resistance ensured the lead did not become overwhelming, but India remain firmly in command after a third day repeatedly interrupted by rain.

The Akwa Ibom State squash team has announced its arrival on the national stage with a spectacular performance at the 7th edition of the National Squash Championship, emerging as the overall best team with an impressive haul of five gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

Team Akwa Ibom dominated the junior categories, winning gold medals in the U-11 Boys, U-13 Boys, U-13 Girls, U-17 Boys and U-17 Girls categories.

The team also secured silver medals in the U-11 Boys and U-17 Boys categories, while bronze medals were won in the U-11 Girls and U-13 Girls categories, taking the state’s overall medal tally to ten.

The championship, organised by Squash Ex-Professional Players, attracted junior players from different states across the federation, with Team Akwa Ibom ultimately finishing as the tournament’s overall best-performing team.

The 7th edition featured male and female junior players competing in the U-11, U-13, U-15 and U-17 categories and was held at the Abuja National Stadium, Abuja.

Akwa Ibom was represented by a 14-player contingent comprising eight male and six female players, with the team led by coach Ibanga Etukudo.

Speaking after the team’s impressive outing, Engineer Iniobong Esuene, board member of the Nigerian Squash Federation and Vice chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Squash Association described the achievement as a significant milestone for squash in Akwa Ibom State, noting that it was the first time in a long while that the state had emerged victorious at a national championship. “ The best result ever in the history of squash in our state” delighted Engineer Ini Obong said.

The impressive performance has also earned the young athletes further opportunities to compete at major national events. Thirteen of the 14 Team Akwa Ibom players have been invited to participate in the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Tournament in Abeokuta as well as the National Racquet Festival in Ibadan, both scheduled to take place later this year.

The remarkable achievement underscores the growing strength of squash development in Akwa Ibom State and provides further evidence of the impact of sustained investment in grassroots sports development.

With ten medals and invitations to two major national competitions, Team Akwa Ibom’s performance in Abuja represents a significant step forward for the state’s squash programme and another encouraging chapter in Akwa Ibom’s emerging sports renaissance.

Every so often, I get the opportunity to leave Canada for a few days to go to the States. Doing so makes in-person coverage of the Vikings possible.

Perhaps the top news of the week is that the Vikings host the Ravens. To begin, there will be a pair of joint practices. These days are tremendous fun for anybody who gets out since there are roughly 180 NFL players and a pair of coaching staffs all working on the same collection of football fields. And then there’s the game inside of U.S. Bank Stadium, further allowing for more insight to be gleaned. Being able to offer some firsthand observations is what’s to come for our readers.

VT w/ Press Access
The Vikings Host the Ravens in Preseason Week No. 2

Since the summer of 2020, I’ve been writing about the Minnesota Vikings. What has followed since has been a wild ride.

— READ MORE: Vikings 1st-Round Pick Had a Day to Forget —
— READ MORE: Vikings Film Analysis: Aaron Jones Scampers for Nice Gain —
— READ MORE: Stock Up, Stock Down: 5 Players Impacted by Preseason Game —

I went full time with Vikings writing and editing in the summer of 2021. The overwhelming majority of my work since then has been tossed onto Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. No shortage of digital ink has been spilled since then covering the Vikings. Normally, the work has been done from afar (Canada).

Over the past couple years, I’ve been fortunate to get some credentialed access to the Vikings. Doing so allows for some firsthand insight that can remove the middle man.

The hope, then, is to send along some Vikings writing that’s worth your time. Online publishers are sorting through the turmoil of industry changes but many of you out there have continued supporting VT. That means a ton to us as a small business that is local to the Twin Cities (the business is local; I’m international).

Of top importance will be the passer battle that has been decided. Kyler Murray is the QB1. Can he shine against what is a formidable group over in Baltimore? Whatever takes place against the Ravens is sure to be handled with aplomb as nothing gets pushed out of proportion.

But then there are a pile of other stories to monitor for the Vikings. How does young defensive tackle Caleb Banks do? The receiver competition is heating up beyond the top trio of options; can Myles Price keep up his sizzling effort? All of the sudden, the safety position offers some reason for concern due to the Jamal Adams news. Who steps up?

Oh, and the Vikings still employ that J.J. McCarthy guy. He could use some excellent days.

As has been mentioned in the past, making a habit of visiting Vikings Territory means a lot to us. Genuinely. Doing so helps to keep the lights on since we’re in the click business.

Set us as your home page and check out what we’ve got on offer. Our work includes a (sort of) credentialed Vikings writer who does this as a full-time job. There’s then contributions ranging from a former GM (Jeff Diamond) to a podcast with a veteran Minnesota sports reporter (Craig Peters) to the musings of various great contributors.

Be sure to follow along on social media. The site is on there — VikingTerritory — and so am I — VikingsGazette. We’ll be sending along some fresh insight from what’s learned from getting press access for the Vikings.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong is set to host a football tournament for secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State as part of his efforts to support youth development through sport.

The grand finale of the Troost-Ekong Foundation Football Tournament is scheduled for September 1, with Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, expected to attend the event.

An exclusive invitation was presented to the Commissioner at his office on Monday, August 17, by a member of the tournament’s Board of Trustees, Mr Bernard Ekong.

The tournament is being organised in partnership with the Akwa Ibom State Football Association (AKSFA) and is aimed at giving back to society by creating opportunities for young football talents across the state.

The initiative, founded by Troost-Ekong, is focused on identifying and developing talented young players. Secondary schools from different parts of Akwa Ibom have been selected to take part in both male and female categories.

Meanwhile, AKSFA Chairman, Mr Samuel Umoh, has praised the Troost-Ekong Foundation for the initiative. He also confirmed that the necessary kits have been delivered as preparations for the grand finale gather pace.

Troost-Ekong, who was born in the Netherlands on September 1, 1993, is a centre-back who currently plays for Al-Ahli in the Qatar Stars League. He represented Nigeria more than 80 times and served as captain of the Super Eagles.

The defender founded the Troost-Ekong Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on empowering young people in Nigeria and Africa through football and education.

The school tournament is expected to provide a platform for young players to showcase their talent while promoting grassroots football development in Akwa Ibom.

SportsRation will share further details about this competition when it has been revealed by the organizers.

The Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable has a plethora of options with the exciting filly Natural Fling, who achieved a comprehensive first-up win at Caulfield.

The father-and-son training partnership is considering a Group 1 sprint in the coming weeks for the daughter of Home Affairs, following her victory in the Group Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Sent off as the $2.40 favourite under Damian Lane, Natural Fling raced to a four-length win from Scintillation ($16), with Oh Yes She Did ($14) a further three-quarters-of-a-length behind in third. Punters looking for the best Australian betting sites saw the well-backed favourite deliver an emphatic performance.

Natural Fling clocked a time of 1:03.91, which was just shy of 0.5 seconds quicker than Hard Kick’s winning time in the colts’ race, the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m), run earlier on the card.

Lining up for only her third start, Natural Fling was successful on debut at Caulfield in May before running second in the Magic Millions 2YO National at the Gold Coast later that month.

Calvin McEvoy expressed his delight, highlighting Natural Fling as a quality filly.

“We had to pay good money for her at the sales, but we have really good owners in her and they stumped up the cash to buy into a Home Affairs filly,” McEvoy said.

“These colours are famous within our stables and we’ve always had her at the front of the bus in our team of two-year-olds and now three-year-olds, and her trial was fantastic and for her to come here and back it up in a great race, it’s so pleasing.”

McEvoy mentioned that the team had focused on refining the filly’s speed, indicating that while she was travelling fast, the effort was controlled.

“She’s grown up this preparation, and she was impressive and put a gap on a quality field,” McEvoy commented.

“We won this race with a filly that carried the same colours, who was very good, and this filly may be like her.”

That filly was Sunlight, who claimed the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in 2018.

It is a race the McEvoy’s will consider for Natural Fling, but a more immediate target might be the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Sandown on September 5.

“There is the Cap D’antibes Stakes (a week later) which comes up, there is the Coolmore which would be a great race to win, and we may even consider the Moir with no weight,” McEvoy added.

“They are all good options. She is a Group winner which is so important for the pedigree, and I don’t think that is the end for her.”

Check out the top racing betting markets available for upcoming feature events.

Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja continued his habit of dismissing well-set batters by removing Sri Lanka’s top-scorer, Sonal Dinusha, on Day 3 of the opening Test at Galle on August 17. With Sri Lanka in dire straits at 90/5 in response to India’s 462 in the first innings, Dinusha scored a brilliant maiden Test century to help the side gain a semblance of respectability.

However, a ball after completing his century, the southpaw missed a flighted delivery from Jadeja, which turned sharply to trap him in front. Dinusha looked towards DRS to save him from a seemingly plumb LBW, but to no avail.

Here is a video of Jadeja’s three wickets, including the final one to send Sri Lanka’s lone centurion packing:

https://www.sonyliv.com/sports-clips/cricket-jadeja-strikes-with-a-crucial-three-wicket-haul-1090539547?watch=true

Jadeja finished the innings with excellent figures of 3/57 in 21 overs as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 284. Despite stumps being called earlier than the scheduled time on Day 3 due to bad light and rain, India head into the penultimate day with a healthy 178-run first-innings lead.

Ravindra Jadeja joins elite club for career double on Day 3 of the 1st Test

Ravindra Jadeja completed an incredible 350 Test wickets on Day 3 of the first Test against Sri Lanka. The 37-year-old entered the game on 348 wickets and removed Sri Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Keshara Nuwantha to complete the career milestone.

Jadeja also became one of only two Indian cricketers to boast over 4,000 runs and 350 wickets in Tests, alongside the legendary Kapil Dev. He also became only the second spin-bowling all-rounder after Daniel Vettori to achieve the phenomenal 4,000-350 double.

Overall, Ravindra Jadeja is only the fourth cricketer to complete this double, joining Kapil Dev, Daniel Vettori and Ian Botham.

The veteran spin-bowling all-rounder’s Test numbers read an extraordinary 4,108 runs at an average of 38.03 and 351 wickets at an average of 25.06. Jadeja also boasts six centuries and 15 five-wicket hauls in his outstanding 90-match Test career.